Holder and needle for hand knitting



y 4, 1943- o. c. SEMOINISEN 2,318,018

HOLDER AND NEEDLE FOR HAND KNITTING File d May 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR y 1943- 0. c. SEMONSEN 2,318,018

HOLDER AND NEEDLE FOR HAND KNITTING Filed May 27, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVE NTOR Patented May 4, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFl-CE 2,318,018HOLDER AND NEEDLE FOR HAND KNITTING Otto C. Semonsen, Bellerosc, N. Y.Application May 27, 1940, Serial N0.'337,384

23 Claims.

This invention relates to a holder and needle for use in making variousknitted fabrics and articles by hand, particularly articles of wearingapparel such, for example, as sweaters, which are frequently knitted inseveral fiat pieces, the pieces then being sewn together, and stockings,which are frequently knitted in one cylindrically formed piece.

In the present well known method of knitting by hand two knittingneedles are used for fiat pieces and three or more needles are used forcylindrical pieces. A special flexible needle, having a rigid point ateach end, is sometimes used for knitting cylindrical pieces. The needlesused in the well known method are smooth, cylindrical bars, tapered to ablunt point at one or both ends and serve the dual purpose of holdingthe stitches comprising the unfinished edge of the unfinished fabricand, at the same time, drawing the thread through a stitch in theunfinished edge to form a new stitch. Each new stitch is retained on theneedle used to draw it through the existing stitch and the existingstitch is slipped off or dropped from the other needle. In producing aplain fabric the operation of drawing a new stitch through an existingstitch and then dropping the existing stitch is performed with respectto each successive stitch until all of the stitches in the unfinishededge are held on one needle. The operation is then reversed and theneedle from which the stitches were dropped is used in forming andretaining a new row of stitches in a similar manner. This operation,while seemingly simple, is one which requires a great amount of practicebefore proficiency is attained. Inherent difficulties in this operationare that the point of one of the needles must be inserted into a stitchwhich is alread completely filled out by the body of the other needle,as each stitch in the unfinished edge tightly encircles the body of theneedle by which it is held, and the thread must then be drawn backthrough the stretched stitch by the smooth tapering point of the needle.Furthermore, maintaining the proper tension in the thread during theoperation of forming new stitches is extremely difficult as both handsare engaged in holding and manipulating the needles. If the tension usedhas been too great it is almost impossible to insert the needle into thestitches on the other needle; if the tension was too low the finishedwork is loose and sleazy; and if the tension was irregular the finishedwork is poor and uneven. Many users of this method acquire speed inperforming the operation but are not capable of producing work of highquality,

others can produce work of high quality but do not acquire speed ofoperation, and but few attain to both speed of operation and highquality of work.

I propose to avoid these diflicultie's byproviding a holder for holdingthe unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric whileadditional stitches are added thereto, and a needle to be used inconjunction therewith'for adding the additional stitches to theunfinished fabric, and a method of using the holder and the-needle whichwill enable anyone to attain both speed of operation and high quality ofworkmanship in producing knitted fabrics and articles by hand withoutlong and tedious practice.

The primary object of my invention is, there fore, to provide a noveland improved method 'of producing knitted fabrics and articles, whichcan be readily mastered by anyone, and the combination of a novel holderfor holding an unfinished piece of knitted'fabric and a novel andimproved needle for use in conjunction therewith for adding additionalstitches to the unfinished fabric, the combination of improved holderand improved needle being essential to and used for producing knittedarticles and fabrics by my improved method.

Another object of my invention is to provide a method of producingknitted articles and fabrics wherein the stitches comprising theunfinished edge of an unfinished piece of fabric areexposed to view, thefunction of holding is limited to a novel holder, the function ofdrawing a thread comprising the unfinished edge lie in a substantiallycommon plane, and an unobstructed opening is provided within the confineof eachstitch in the unfinished edge for the :easy insertion of aneedle, and unobstructed space is provided ade improved holder forholding an unfinished piece of knitted fabric while additional stitchesare added thereto, which is adapted to limit the length of thread usedin each of the additional stitches, to receive and hold new stitches asthey are formed and to release previously formed stitches.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved needle, to beused in conjunction with my improved holder, for carrying a loop in athread, of which a fabric is being made, through a stitch in theunfinished edge of the fabric, disengaging the stitch from the holdingmeans and bringing the thread into engagement with the holding means,thereby forming a new stitch.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved needle, to beused in conjunction with my improved holder, which will mechanicallycontrol and regulate the amount of tension in a thread, of which afabric is being made, during the operation of forming stitches.

Another object of my invention is to provide animproved needle, for usein conjunction with my improved holder, through which the movement of athread can be stopped, at will, by the hand holding the needle.

The accompanying drawings will illustrate preferred forms of my holder,and of my needle, and the method of their use, it being understoodhowever that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise detailsshown therein, but that alterations and modifications within the scopeof the appended claims'may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view and illustrates one form of holder with a fragmentof an unfinished piece of knitted fabric held thereon and one form ofneedle. The manner in which the fabric is engaged by the holder and themanner in which the needle is used in forming additional stitchesareshown in this view. The needle is shown in one of the positionsthrough which it passes during the operation of forming a stitch.

Y Fig. 2 is a plan View similar to Fig. 1 showing the needlein a moreadvanced position in the operation of forming a stitch. This view alsoshows an adjustable friction device for controlling the tension in athread, of which the fabric is being made; during the formation of thestitches.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the holder shown inFig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation on the line 4-4 of Fig. l. This viewclearly shows the position of the fabric in relation to the holder, andan unobstructed space below and between the fabric and the holderprovided for the purpose of facilitating the operation of the needle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view and illustrates a holder with projectionsor pegs integrally formed thereon.

Figs. 6 and'7 are end elevations of holders illustrating other forms ofbars and pegs.

Fig. 8 is a plan view of an elliptical holder and illustrates the frametype of holder for use in knitting cylindrically formed articles.

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8. Fig. 10 illustrates a formof needle provided with a non-adjustable friction device for controllingthe tension in a thread passing through the needle. Fig. 11 is anenlarged end view of the needle illustrated in Fig. 10, showing thefriction device. Fig. 12 is a side elevation illustrating another formof needle provided with an adjustable frictiondevice for controlling thetension in a thread passing through the needle.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a portion of the needle illustrated in Fig.12.

Fig. 14 is an end elevation of the needle illustrated in Fig. 12,showing the friction device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views;It] is a bar provided with pegs or projections fixedly attached theretoor integrally formed thereon, the pegs or projections being spaced fromeach other and arranged in two substantially parallel rows [5 and It, asis plainly indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 5.

The form of holder illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive comprises a barIt, having a surface 12 spaced from and substantially parallel to theplane of the surface i l, a row !5 of pegs l3 fixedly attached to thebar and protruding from the surface H, and a second row IE or pegs l4fixedly attached to the bar and protruding from the surface l2. The pegsl3 and M are cylindrical and have conical tips. The plane of the tips ofpegs I4 is spaced from and between the plane of the surface II and theplane of the tips of pegs [3. The plane of surface II, which limitsthemovement of the fabric 5i in adownward direction along the axes ofthe pegs i3, is spaced from and above the surface l2, thereby providingunobstructed space H, as shownin Fig. 4, adjacent to and below theunfinished edge of th fabric 5 I, as typified in Fig. 4 by stitch 51.

In the form of holder shown in Fig. 5 the bar Ill is provided with alongitudinal recess adjacent to and below the common plane of thesurfaces I I and I2 which limit the movement of a piece of fabric alongthe axes of projections 18 and 19, thereby providing unobstructed spaceI! between the inner surfaces 20 and 2|, which will b adjacent to theunfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric held by pegs I3and I9. The projections l8 and I9 are integrally formed on the bar I8,project from the surfaces H and I2 respectively, and are arranged in twosubstantially parallel rows l5 and I6, are rectangular in cross section,and the plane of the tips of projections I9 is spacedfrom and below theplane of the tips of projections l8.

Fig. 6 is an end elevation and illustrates another form of holder havinga plurality of pegs 23 fixedly attached to a bar I0 and protruding fromsurface ll thereof, and a plurality of pegs 25 fixedly attached theretoand protruding from surface 22 thereof, the surface 22 being in angularrelation with surface II, and the points of protrusion of pegs 25 fromsurface 22 being spaced from and below the plane of surface H, pegs 25being bent transversely upwardly at points 26 into angular relation withthe plane of surface H, the points of bending 26 being spaced from the.surface 22, thereby providing unobstructed space H below the plane ofsurface II and between the pegs 25 and the surface 22. The verticalplane through the axes of pegs 23 and the vertical plane through theaxes of pegs 25 are substantially parallel and the longitudinalarrangement of the pegs is similar to that shown in Fig. 3. Pegs 23 arebent transversely outwardly of the axes thereof, so that the extremities24 are pointed away from the vertical plane of pegs 25, whereby theupward movement of a piece of fabric along the axes of pegs 25 islimited or retarded.

Another form of holder, illustrated in Fig. 7

has a plurality of pegs 28 and a plurality of pegs 3 8 fixedly attachedto a bar 18 and protruding from a surface 21 thereof, the pegs 2-8 beingbent transversely in the direction of pegs 30 and again bent,transversely upwardly-into angular relation with surface 21, therebyform! ing the shoulders 29 spaced from and abovewsurface 27. Shoulders29 are adapted to limit the movement, along the axes of the upperportions of pegs 28, of an unfinished piece of fabric eneas d by a p rai y of th pe s 28 andr30. thereby providing unobstructed space I! whichwill be adjacent to the unfinished edge of. an unfinished piece offabric held by pegs 28 and The pegs 28 and 30 are arranged in twosubstantially parallel rows, and the longitudinal arrangement thereof issimilar to that shown in Fig. 3. Each of pegs 38 has ,a lip3l formed onthe tip thereof, said lip extending transversely outwardly from thatside thereof which is faced away from pegs 28, thereby providing meansfor retarding the upward movement of the stitches comprising theunfinished edge of an unfinished piece of fabric along the axes of thepegs 28 when the said stitches have reached the tips of the pegs. Eachof pegs 30 has the side 32 thereof, facing pegs '28, flattened andtapered, thereby reducing to a minimum the space occupied by the pegwithin the confine of a stitch engaged thereby.

A holder, for use in knitting cylindrically formed articles, illustratedin Figs. 8 and 9', comprises a bar or frame H1, in the form of anelliptical ring, having a plurality of pegs l3 and I4 fixedly attachedthereto and protruding from a surface 2! thereof. While the frame I!) isrectangular in cross section, and the surface 21 from which the pegs i3and I4 protrude is trans-. Verse of the axisof the ring, it is to beunderstood that the bending or forming of the bar into an elliptical orcircular ring doesnot limit the cross sectional form of the bar to arectangle, but that any of the forms illustrated in the drawings may beused, and likewise any of the forms of pegs or projections illustratedin the drawings may be used, and that the pegs may protrude from any oneof the surfaces of the bar or from any combination of the said surfaces.

A needle, comprising a tube 32 having a nonadjustable friction deviceattached thereto is, illustrated in Figs. and 11. The friction deviceconsists of a gripping portion 35, substantially encircling the tube 32,a flexible shank 36, extending from the gripping portion to the end 34of the tube 32, and a fish tail portion 31, extending transversely fromthe shank'across and in close proximity to the tube end 34. When theneedle is in use the thread of which a fabric is being made passesthrough the notch 38 in the fish tail 3'1, into the tube at the end 34and out of the tube at the end 33. It can readily be seen from Fig. 11that for a thread, having a cross sectional area greater than the areaformed by the notch 38 and that portion of. the inner surface of thetube included'by the sides of the notch, to pass into the tube the fishtail must be moved laterally in order to provide an included areasufficiently great to permit 'the passage of the thread. The flexibleshank, while permitting lateral movement of the fish tail, resists suchmovement and tends to pmch the thread between the notch 38 and the edgeof the inner surface of the tube, thereby increasing the force requiredto draw the thread through F open rings 45, each of the groove 44,whereby 3 the needle. For'a thread of uniform cross sectional area thepinching pressure is constant and therefore'the force required to drawthe thread through the needle is constant.

Another form of needle, comprising a tube attached to a handle, havingan adjustable friction device located thereon, is clearly illustratedFigs. 12, 13 and 14. The tube 39 is provided with an orifice 4| in oneside thereof, adjacent to the point of attachment to the handle 42, anda transverse bend adjacent to and spaced from the end opposite to thepoint of attachment, whereby the point 40 is brought into angularrelation to the axis of the needle. As can be seen in Fig. 12 the end ofthe tube at the point 40 is cut off at an angle to the axis of theneedle. As can be seen in Fig. 13 the major part of the orifice 4| is tooneside of a vertical plane through the axis of the needle. 'The handle42, which is cylindrical and of substantially larger diameter than thetube 39, is rounded at the end to which the tube is attached, and isprovided with a plurality of annular grooves 44, located on theoutersurface thereof adjacent to and spaced from the end opposite to the tube39. The handle 42 is also provided with a plurality of pegs fixedlyattached thereto and protruding from the outer surface thereof, andlocated thereon so that the points of protrusion are to one side of aplane passing through the orifice 4| and the axis of the needle, and sothat the pegs 50 and the grooves 44 are spaced from each other inalternate arrangement. The handle 42 is also provided with a pluralityof annular members or which is rotatably held in one ofv the grooves 44.As can be seen in Fig. 14 the end 46 of the rotatable ring 45 isoutwardly bent in the plane of the ring, thereby providing a curvedsurface 41 :at the first point of contact between the end of the ringand the handle 42,'andthe end 48 is bent outwardly back= wardly uponitself in the plane of the ring, there:-. by providing the eye 49. Theinside diameter of the ring 45 'is less than the inside diameter o'f thering is caused to be in a strained relation while positioned in thegroove, thereby creating friction between the innersurface of the "ringand the surfaceof the groove. The friction thus created between the twosurfaces being sufficient :to hold the ring in a fixed position with theeye 49 in any desired relation to a peg 50, and not sufficient to pre-Vent the ring from being rotated around the. axis of the needle to anydesired position. "The rotatable rings 45 and the pegs comprise theadjustable friction device, which, by bending a thread passing throughthe eyes 49 and infront of the pegs 50, as illustrated in Fig. '2,causes friction between the thread and the surfaces of the eyes and ofthe pegs as the thread is drawn through the needle. The functions andprinciples of operation of the needle and. the adjustable frictiondevice are more particularly described in connection with the forming ofstitches as illustrated in Fig. 2.

My improved method of producing knitted articlesand fabrics consists ofextendedly holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knittedfabric, by means of an improved holder, and adding stitches thereto. bymeans of animproved needle, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2and 4.

In the drawings, 5| is a fragment of an unfinished'pieceof-knittedfabric held on the bar to by means of themes-s oriprciectionsl3 and 1-4 attached. thereto. Fig... .1 clearly showsthat stitches 52,53', 54', 58 and 51, a plurality of the stitches comprising theunfinished e'clge'of the fabric are each engaged on 'opposite' sides ofthe axis of thread 60 of whichthey'are formed, and at a plurality'ofpointsspaced from each other, whereby the unfinished" edge and thestitches comprising it are held in' extended relation, thereby providingan unobstructed space. or opening Bl-within the confine of each of thesaid stitchesgand that the axis offeach ofthe said stitches is inangular relation tothe, axis of the bat. By this method of holding, eachstitch in the unfinished edge is firmly held in an open and exposedposition in asubstantially common plane, ready for the insertion of the:point .40 of the needle tube 39, thereby eliminating all'necessity formanipulating or moving the said stitches, either to count them or tobringthem into position for the insertion of the needle. Figs. 1 and 2clearly show that the length of the portion of thread 69 constitutingone of the stitches in the unfinished edge is limited to the distancefrom a peg 13, in row 15, to and around an adjacent peg 14, in row l6,andback to a second adjacent peg l3. As this distance for any group ofthree such adjacent pegs is substantially the same it can readily beseen that when the tension in the thread of which the stitches areformed is constant during the forming operation the result- .1

ant stitches will be of uniform'size. It can be readily seen in Fig. 4that the movement of the fabric 5! along-the axes of the pegs i3 islimited by the surface H, thereby providing unobstructed space I!adjacent to each stitch in edge of the fabric 5| into which the point 49of the needle tube 39' can pass during the operation of'forming a newstitch.

The operation of forming a stitch consists of bringing the thread intoengagement with a component part of the holding means, inserting thehollow point of the needle into a stitch in the unfinished edge of thefabric, thereby carrying the thread into the said stitch, releasing thesaid stitch from the holding from a component part thereof with theneedle, bringing the thread into engagement with the component part ofthe holding means from which the said stitch was released, andwithdrawing the needle from the released stitch. The portion of threadwhich has thus been engaged, at a plurality of points by the holdingmeans, constitutes a new stitch, and replaces in the unfinished edge thestitch which was released from the holding means; The operation ofmaking a knitted fabric consists of the continued replacing of thestitches in the unfinished edge thereof with newly formed stitches untilthe desired number of stitches have been interknit.

The operation of replacing the stitches in the unfinished edge by newstitches is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as being carried out from left toright, stitch 55 having been replaced by stitch 51, stitch 55 havingbeen replaced by stitch 58 and stitch 54 being replaced by a new stitch59in process of being formed. When, by working from left to right, thestitches in the. unfinished edge have been replaced by new ones theoperation is reversed and the replacement carried out from right toleft. In Fig. 2 the thread 60 is shown as passing through the adjustablefriction device, which consists of rings 45 and peas 5il associat'edwith needle handle 42, along the surface 43 of the handle 42, throughneedle tube 39, passing out of the needle'tube the unfinished means bydisengaging it i the orifice 4! into the at the point thereof 40,joining with the fabric and becoming stitch 58 as it passes around a pegl3. Fig. 1 illustrates the first phase in the operation of forming a newstitch and shows the thread 60 as having been brought into engagementwith a peg I3, to the right of and at the bottom of stitch 58, and ashaving been carried into stitch 54 by the insertion thereinto of theneedle tube 39. In this phase stitch 54 is still engaged by pegs l3 andI4, and stitch 55 has been partially drawn back to a position in the rowof stitches adjacent to the unfinished edge. Fig. 2 illustrates thesecond phase in the operation of forming a stitch and shows stitch 54disengaged from the peg l4, and the thread 69 engaged therewith. In thephase shown in Fig. 2 half of the new stitch 59, between peg l3 at thebottom of stitch 58 and the adjacent peg l4 to the right thereof, isshown as having been formed, and stitch 55 has been completely drawnback to a; position in the row of stitches adjacent to the unfinishededge. The third and final phase is the withdrawing of the needle tube 39from the stitch 54. Upon the completion of the third phase the point 40of the needle tube 39 will be in position to bring thread 60 intoengagement with the peg I3 to the right of and adjacent to completedstitch 59, and thence into stitch 53, thereby starting the formation ofanother new stitch.

Fig. 2 illustrates the adjustable tension device, associated with theneedle, for maintaining uniform tension in the thread 60 during theforming'of stitches. In Fig. 2 thread 60 is shown passing through eyes49 of the'rotatable rings 45, and in front of the pegs 5D, the rings areshown as having been rotated around the axis of 'the needle handle 42 sothat the eyes 49 are out of alignment with the front of the pegs 50,thereby causing the thread 60 to bend as it passes from the eye 49 ofthe first ring 45 to the .pegs 50 the greater the tension in the firstpeg 50, again when it passes from the first peg 50 to the'eye 49 of thesecond ring 45, again when it passes from the eye 49 of the second ring45 to the second peg 50 and again when it leaves the second peg 50. Thebending of thread 59 creates pressure against the surfaces of the eyes49 and of the pegs 50 and thereby creates friction between the threadand the said surfaces as the thread is drawn through the needle.Increasing the sharpness of the bends in thread 69 increases thefriction between the thread and the surfaces of the eyes 49 and the pegs5D, therefore the greater the disalignment of the eyes 49 of the rings45 with respect to the front of the thread 60 as itis drawn through theneedle. The rings 45 can be rotated independently of each otheraroundthe axis of the needle handle 42 to any desired position, wherebyany desired degree of tension in thread 60 can be obtained. The rings 32are held in the desired positions by friction between their innersurfaces andthe surface of the needle handle 42. The deg'reefof frictionbetween the thread '60 and the surfaces of the eyes 49 andthe pegs '50is substantially constant forv any. fixed degree of bending of thethread, therefore by maintaining the degree of bending constant thetension in the thread will be maintained substantially constant.Provision is also made for manual control of the thread by-having itpass along the surface 43 ofthe needle handle:42,iso that it can bereadily pinched be,- tween the surface 43 and a finger of the handholding the needle. Suflicient friction can be.

created by this pinching action to prevent movement of the threadthrough the needle, by any force which can reasonably be exerted uponthe thread. This manual control is not exercised during the ordinaryoperation of forming stitches, and is provided for use when it isdesired to temporarily increase the tension in the thread.

Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate the making of plain fabrics. The making ofribbed and other patterned fabrics necessitates the inversion ofselected stitches as indicated by the pattern desired. The inversion ofa stitch is accomplished in the formation thereof by inserting theneedle tube, carrying the thread, into a stitch in the unfinished edgefrom underneath instead of from the top as shown in Figs. 1 and 2,disengaging the stitch from the engaging means, bringing the thread overthe top of the disengaged stitch into engagement with the engagingmeans, and withdrawing the needle tube from the disengaged stitch.

From the foregoing description of some preferred forms of my inventionit will now be understood that I have disclosed a new and novel methodof producing knitted articles and fabrics, a new and novel holder forholding an unfinished piece of knitted fabric while additional stitchesare added thereto, and a new and novel needle for adding stitches to anunfinished piece of knitted fabric held by my holder.

It will be seen that I have provided a new and novel holder for holdingthe unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in a newand novel manner, so that the stitches comprising the unfinished edgeare held in extended relation and lie exposed to view in a substantiallycommon plane, and so that there is unobstructed space within and withoutthe confine of each stitch in the said unfinished edge and adjacentthereto, thereby facilitating the adding of additional stitches to theunfinished fabric. The said holder having means associated therewith forlimiting the length of thread in each stitch added to the unfinishedpiece of fabric.

It Will be seen that I have provided a new and novel needle for addingstitches to an unfinished piece of knitted fabric held by my holder,whereby a loop in a thread of which the fabric is being made is carriedthrough a stitch in the unfinished edge, the said stitch disengaged fromthe holding means and the said loop brought into engagement therewith.The said needle having means associated therewith whereby the tension inthe thread during the forming of stitches can be both mechanically andmanually controlled.

It will be seen that I have provided anew and novel combination ofholder and needle for producing knitted articles and fabrics. The saidholder and needle, in combination, being adapted to control the lengthof thread in each new stitch added to an unfinished piece of knittedfabric.

While I have described some preferred forms of my new and novel holderand my new and novel needle I desire it understood that my invention isnot confined to the particular forms shown and described, and thatthebar or frame of the holder may have any desired cross sectional form, itmay be straight, bent or curved in the plane of its longitudinal. axis,it may be circular, elliptical, square or any other desired shape,either closedor unclosed, and that pegs or projections of any desiredform may beattached to any surface or combination ofsurfaces thereof inany desired arrangement, and that the needle and the friction deviceassociated therewith may be of forms other than those illustratedwithout departing from the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention and pointed out the new and I claimis:

1. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting memberand held thereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constitutingmeans for holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knittedfabric in position for the continuance of the knitting, said means beingadapted to hold a plurality of the stitches which comprise the saidunfinished edge in individually extended form, whereby an unobstructedspace is provided within the confine of each of said stitches.

2. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting memberand held thereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs cons itutingmeans for holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knittedfabric in position for the continuance of the knitting, said means beingadapted to hold the said unfinished edge in the said position byengaging a plurality of the stitches comprising the said unfinishededge, each of said stitches being engaged at a plurality of pointsspaced'from each other.

3. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting memberand held thereby in fixed relation to each other,

novel features therein, what said pegs constituting means for holdingthe un-" finished edge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric inposition for the continuance of theknitting, said means being adapted tohold a plurality of the stitches which comprise the said unfinished edgeby engaging the thread constituting each of the said stitches onopposite sides of the axis of said thread.

said supporting member and each of said stitches and an unobstructedeach of said stitches.

5. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar and a plurality ofprojections formed thereon as in tegral parts of said bar and arrangedthereon in two rows, said projections being adapted to hold a portion ofeach stitch of a plurality of the stitches which comprise the saidunfinished edge in spaced relation tothe saidbar.

6. As an article of manufacture, a holder for space within the confineof holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabricin position for the continuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar,a plurality of pegs arranged thereon in two rows and held thereby infixed relation to each other,

said pegs constituting means for holding the said unfinished piece offabric by engagement of the unfinished edge thereof by a plurality ofthe pegs in each of said rows, and means whereby the movement of thesaid unfinished edge along the axes of a plurality of the pegs in one ofthe said rows is limited in the direction away from the free ends ofsaid pegs, the plane of the limit of said movement being spaced from theplane of the limit of movement of the said unfinished edge in the saiddirection along the axes of a plurality of th pegs in the other of saidrows.

'7. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar and a plurality ofpegs arranged thereon in two rows'and held thereby in fixed relation toeach other; each peg of a plurality of the pegs in one of the said rowshaving a continuous surfac and a portion of the side facing towards theother of said rows substantially fiat.

8. A holder for holding an unfinished piece of knitted fabric whileadditional stitches are added thereto, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting memberand held thereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constitutingmeans for holding the said unfinished piece of fabric by engaging aplurality of the stitches which comprise the unfinished edge thereof,said means being adapted to limit the length of thread in each of thesaid additional stitches, as the said additional stitches are formed, byengaging each of the'said additional stitches at a plurality of pointsspaced from each other.

9. A holder for holding an unfinished piece of knitted fabric whileadditional stitches are added thereto, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting memberand held thereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constitutingmeans for holding the said unfinished piece of fabric by engaging aplurality of the stitches which comprise the unfinished edge thereof,said means being adapted to limit the length of thread in each of thesaid additional stitches, as the said additional stitches are formed, byengaging the thread constituting each of the said additional stitches onopposit sides of the axis of said thread and at a plurality of pointsspaced fromeach other.

10. In combination with a holder for holding an unfinished piece ofknitted fabric while additional stitches are added thereto, whichcomprises a supporting member and means on said member for holding thesaid unfinished piece of fabric by engagement with. a plurality of thestitches which comprise the unfinished edge thereof, said means beingadapted to limit the length of thread in each of the said additionalstitches, as the said additional stitches are formed, by engaging thethread constituting each of the said additional stitches on oppositesides of the axis of said thread and at a plurality of points spacedfrom each other, a needle having a hollow point through which the threadused in forming the said additional stitches can pass, and having meansassociated therewith for controlling the tension in the said threadduring the forming of the said additional stitches, the combination ofthe said means for limiting the length of thread in each additionalstitch and the said means for controlling the tension in the said threadduring the forming of each additional stitch being adapted to regulatethe size of each of the said additional stitches.

11. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar, a plurality of pegsprotruding therefrom and arranged thereon in a row, and a plurality ofpegs protruding therefrom and arranged thereon in another row, the planeof the surface of protrusion of a plurality of the pegs in one of saidrows being substantially parallel to and spaced from the plane of thesurface of protrusion of a plurality of the pegs in the other of saidrows.

12. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for the'continuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar, a plurality of pegsprotruding therefrom and arranged thereon in a row, and a plurality ofpegs protruding therefrom and arranged thereon in another row, the planeof the surface of protrusion of a plurality of the pegs in one of saidrows being in angular relation to the plane of the surface of protrusionof a plurality of the pegs in the other of said rows.

13. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece, of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar and a plurality ofpegs arranged thereon in two rows, the plane of termination of aplurality of the pegs in one of said rows perpendicular to the majoraxes thereof being spaced from a parallel plane in which a plurality ofthe pegs in the other of said rows terminate.

14. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar and a plurality ofpegs arranged thereon in two rows, each of a plurality of the pegs inone of said rows having a shoulder formed thereon, said shoulder beingspaced from the said bar, the plane of termination of a plurality of thepegs in one of said rows perpendicular to the major axes thereof beingspaced from a parallel plane in which a plurality of the pegs in theother of said rows terminate.

15. As an article of manufacture, a holder for holding the unfinishededge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting, which comprises a bar, a plurality of pegsprotruding therefrom and arranged thereon in a row, and a plurality ofpegs protruding therefrom and arranged thereon in another row, said rowsbeing substantially parallel, a plurality of the pegs in one of saidrows being bent outwardly from the planes of parallelism of the saidrows, each of a plurality of the pegs in the other of said rowsterminating in a lip extending outwardly from the planes of parallelismof the said rows, the plane of the surface of protrusion of a pluralityof the pegs in one of said rows being spaced from the plane of thesurface of protrusion of a plurality of the pegs in the other of saidrows, the plane of termination of a plurality of the pegs in one of saidrows perpendicular to the planes of parallelism of the said rows beingspaced from a parallel plane in which a plurality of the pegs in theother of said rows terminate.

16 In combination with a holder for holding an unfinished piece ofknitted fabric while additional stitches are added thereto, whichcomprises a supporting member and means on said member for holding thesaid unfinished piece of fabric in the said position, a needle having ahollow point through which the thread used in forming the saidadditional stitches can pass as the said additional stitches are addedto the said unfinished piece of fabric by means of the said needle.

17. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting member,said pegs constituting means for holding the unfinished edge of anunfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for the continuance ofthe knitting, said means being adapted to hold the said unfinished edgein the said position by engaging a plurality of the stitches comprisingthe said unfinished edge, each of said stitches being engaged at aplurality of points on opposite sides of the axis of the threadconstituting each of the said stitches,

18. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated wit i said supporting member,said pegs constituting means for holding the unfinished edge of anunfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for the continuance ofthe knitting, said means being adapted to hold a plurality of thestitches which comprise the said unfinisl'led edge in individuallyextended form, whereby an unobstructed space is provided within theconfine of each of said stitches.

19. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting memberand held thereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constitutingmeans for holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knittedfabric in position for the continuance of the knitting, said holdingmeans being adapted to hold a plurality of the stitches comprising thesaid unfinished edge in individually extended form, with an unobstructedspace within the confine of each of said stitches, and with a portion ofeach of said stitches in spaced relation to the said supporting member,thereby providing unobstructed space between said supporting member anda portion of each of said stitches.

20. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs arranged thereon in two rows and heldthereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constituting meansfor holding an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting by the engagement of the unfinished edgethereof by a plurality of the pegs in each of said rows, a plurality ofthe pegs in one of said rows being provided with means adapted to retardthe movement of the said unfinished edge along the axes of the pegs inthe till - spaced relation to said row in the direction of the freeextremities thereof, said holding means being adapted to hold aplurality of the stitches comprising the said unfinished edge inindividually extended form, with an unobstructed space within theconfine of each of said stitches, and with a portion of each of saidstitches in spaced relation to the said supporting member, therebyproviding unobstructed space between said supporting member and aportion of each of said stitches.

21. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember, a plurality of pegs associated with said supporting member andheld thereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constitutingmeans for holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knittedfabric in, position for the continuance of the knitting, said holdingmeans being adapted to hold a plurality of the stitches which comprisethe said unfinished edge in individually extended form, with anunobstructed space within the confine of each of said stitches, andmeans associated with said supporting member adapted to maintain aportion of each of said stitches in said supporting member, therebyproviding unobstructed space between said supporting member and aportion of each of said stitches.

22. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember, a plurality of pegs arranged thereon in two rows and heldthereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constituting meansfor holding an unfinished piece of knitted fabric in position for thecontinuance of the knitting by the engagement of the unfinished edgethereof by a plurality of the pegs in each of said rows, a plurality ofthe pegs in one of said rows being provided with means adapted to retardthe movement of the said unfinished edge along the axes of the pegs inthe said row in the direction of the free extremities thereof, saidholding means being adapted to hold a plurality of the stitches whichcomprise the said unfinished edge in individually extended form, with anunobstructed space within the confine of each of said stitches, andmeans associated with said supporting member adapted to maintain aportion of each of said stitches in spaced relation to said supportingmember, thereby providing unobstructed space between said supportingmember and a portion of each of said stitches.

23. A holder for use in hand knitting, which comprises a supportingmember and a plurality of pegs arranged thereon in two rows and heldthereby in fixed relation to each other, said pegs constituting meansfor holding the unfinished edge of an unfinished piece of knitted fabricin position for the continuance of the knitting, said holding meansbeing adapted to hold a plurality of the stitches which comprise thesaid unfinished edge by the engagement of each of the said stitches by apeg in each of said rows.

OTTO C. SEMONSEN.

